LOOKING BACK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 245, 24 July 1940, Page 4

LOOKING BACK.

FIFTY YEARS SYNE (From the “Guardian,” July .24, 1890). Worms—Darwin estimated that worms, by swallowing earth for tho sake of the vegetable matter it contains and forming castings, bring to tho surface as much as 10 tons of earth per annum on an acre. .Worms are great promoters of vegetation by boring, perforating, and loosening the soil, and rendering it pervious to rains and the fibres of plants, by drawing straws and stalks of leaves and twigs into it, and most of all by throwing up such infinite numbers of lumps of earth called worm easts, which form a fine manure for grain and grass. The earth without worms would soon become cold, hardbound, void of fermentation, and consequently sterile. This has occurred in many eases where the worms "have been accidently or intentionally destroyed, and fertility of the soil lias only been restored when the worms again collected and resumed their fertilising work.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO (From the “Guardian,” July 24, 1915). Russian Campaign—The Blonie-Na-drajin line, defending Warsaw from tho west and south-west, is Splendidly entrenched and manned by veterans from the Burza and Raiwka. The news of the v cold-blooded shooting of 5000 Russian prisoners has aroused burning indignation in the Russian Army, and the troops are determined to make the Germans pay dearly. •'' Red Cross at R'akaia—There was a large and enthusiastic attendance of ladies at a meeting at IR'akaia on Thursday to form a branch of the Red Cross Society. Mrs C. A. C. Hardy presided. Mrs AY. Iv. Watson, of tho Ashburton Society, attended and explained the methods adopted by her branch in regard to Red Cross work, and outlined what would have to be done if a. branch was formed. It was unanimously decided to form a branch. A subscription list was handed round the room, and £2O was collected in tho room.